MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University men’s basketball team travels to the Lower Peninsula for the final time this season for two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games. Northern plays at Saginaw Valley State University on Thursday (Feb. 14) at 6 p.m. and then concludes the weekend at Wayne State University on Saturday (Feb. 16) with tip-off at 1 p.m.

The Wildcats enter the week at 5-16 overall and 4-13 in conference play after being swept at home over the weekend. Grand Valley State University defeated NMU 64-56 on Thursday (Feb. 7) evening. Northern fell 69-63 to Ferris State University on Saturday (Feb. 9).

Junior forward Matthew Craggs is the lone Wildcat to average double figures with 14.2 per game and junior forward Scoter Johnson averages 9.1 points. Sophomore forward Kendall Jackson leads the way in rebounds with 6.2, while Craggs averages 5.8.

SVSU sits one spot above NMU in the GLIAC North Division with a 9-11 overall and 7-10 conference record. The Cardinals split its games over the weekend; the first was a 73-68 loss at Lake Superior State University on Thursday. On Saturday, the Cardinals came away with a 79-74 over Wayne State at home.

NMU edges the Cardinals 29-28 in the all-time series. SVSU defeated NMU 56-51 from the Berry Events Center on Jan. 17. Northern hasn’t won on the road against the Cardinal since the 2007-08 season.

WSU currently is in first place of the GLIAC North with a 14-5 overall and 13-3 GLIAC record. The Warriors received two of its three conference losses over the weekend. Along with the loss to the Cardinals, WSU also fell 74-63 at Northwood University. The losses mark the only back-to-back losses for the Warriors all season.

Three players average 12 points or more per game for the Warriors. Mike Hollingsworth leads with 14.7, while Chene Phillips and Ian Larkin each average 14.1 Cole Prophet contributes with 12.4. Larkin leads in rebounding with 6.5.

The Warriors lead all meetings against NMU, 34-33, including the 65-59 win over the Wildcats back on Jan. 19 from Marquette. Northern has won three out of the last 10 meetings.

100.3 FM “The Point”, the official radio voice of the NMU Wildcats, will broadcast both games.